AFRICA, Aug. 4 -- THE women had gathered under the shade of an old mango tree, their voices blending with the laughter of children playing nearby.

While waiting for a community health outreach session to begin, the conversation drifted from household chores to something far more consequential.

One woman spoke proudly of how family planning had enabled her to space her children and continue farming.

Another worried about reports circulating on social media that Africa was considering a new charter that could change how countries approach reproductive health, sexuality education and family values.

“What does it really mean?” one of them asked. It is a question increasingly being asked not only in village meetings but also in...